Humla (Limi Valley), Kailash Saga Dawa & Guge Kingdom

Our once-in-a-lifetime journey to sacred Mount Kailash begins in fabled
Humla in the far west of Nepal. From Simikot, we embark on a wild trek to the Tibetan border
through remote Limi Valley, where the inhabitants of the upper reaches are
Bhotias (of Tibetan descent). Our Limi trek takes us deep into unspoiled Nepal, where the diverse culture reflects the Silk Route trade of
olden times; old men with weathered, Central Asian faces sitting smoking a
hookah, tribal women of Rajasthani descent adorn themselves in mirrors and
silver coins, Bhotias in their turquoise, coral and amber necklaces have pujas in their Tibetan Buddhist gompas and animism and shamanism exist as they have since the early days.

In this swath of the Trans-Himalayan plateau, the mountain
scenery is spectacular; the Saipal and Nalakankad ranges dominates the
horizons, wild-life abounds and the ancient trade routes from the Terai, over
the Himalayas into Tibet, are still an important part of the hearty inhabitants'
lives. Tibetan culture exists in its pure form, untainted by
the Chinese occupation which has affected much of Tibet.

The Kailash kora, amidst the high plateaus of the Ngari region in western Tibet, is one of the most spectacular short
treks in the Himalaya, crossing the Dolma La (5,600 m) to erase the sins of a
lifetime. Camping beneath the
north face of Kailash, we complete the trek with a myriad of Tibetan
pilgrims, coming from as far away as eastern Tibet to acquire merit for
humanity. After the kora, we continue west past the sacred Manasarovar Lake to
the third most important pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists, Tirthapuri
Gompa.

Next stop, a bit of exploration in the
ancient Zhangzhung Kingdom or 'Garuda Valley' along the Sutlej River, where the crumbling troglodyte
capital of Kyunglung is all that remains of a Bon-po Kingdom that ruled over most
of Tibet, Ladakh and the neighboring regions for over a millennium in the
pre-Christian era.

With plenty of trekking, a bit of exploring and some good karma
under our belts, we embark on an epic cross-Tibet jeep expedition via the scenic southern
route, thus seeing much of far-western Tibet and the Himalayan range en route.
We visit the resplendent gompa of Tashilhunpo in Shigatse and finally
arrive at the exotic capital of Lhasa, where we explore this
history-laden city and its ancient gompas and palaces.

14 - Drive Tarboche

15 - Trek Dira Puk (Start Kailash Kora)

16 - Trek (over Drolma La) Meadow Camp

17 - Trek Tarboche (Finish Kailash Kora)

18 - SAGA DAWA Festival. Drive Tirthapuri

19 - Drive Kyunglung

20 - Drive Tzada

21 - Tzada. Visit Toling Gompa & Tsaparang

22 - Drive Past Lake Manasarovar

23 - Drive Parayang

24 - Drive Saga

25 - Drive Shigatse

26 - Drive Lhasa

27, 28 - Lhasa

29 - Fly Kathmandu

30 - Kathmandu

Day 31 - Depart

Humla & Western Nepal

The flight out to Simikot from Nepalgunj is a dramatic
transition from in the flat, lush and steamy Terai to the high, arid and
mountainous regions of Nepal. Our Yeti Air twin-otter flies only meters above soaring snow
peaks, which spread in all directions as far as the eye can see; it's an
exciting flight!

The Nyimba Valley, in Humla, is one of the least touristed
regions of Nepal comprised of just four Bhotia (the Nepali name for Tibetan)
villages. The inhabitants practice Tibetan Buddhism of the old (Nyimgmpa)
sect, mixed with ancient forms of animism. Trekking into remote Limi Valley of Humla, we cross
high passes and visit timeless villages and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, with
fantastic views of the Saipal range and the sacred Takh and Changla Himalayas.
Humla was once part of the Karnali region of Nepal under the powerful,
pro-Buddhist Malla Dynasty which ruled much of Nepal from the 11th century, but
is now one of the poorest, least privileged and most remote regions of Nepal
with limited access, only a few months per year. The region is part of the
'Trans Himalayan plateau', a region of snow-peaks alternating with thick
vegetation, high alpine meadows, glacially-fed lakes, large rivers and
undulating hills, with a wealth of flora and fauna. Snow leopards still exist in
some numbers in these isolated mountains.

The population is equally diverse, being a mix of Tibetan
Buddhist, Khasa and Rajasthani descent. The Khasa are an Indo-Aryan tribe
believed to have come from Persia. There is a distinctly Central Asia feel to
Humla, giving it an exoticism not found in many mountain regions of Nepal. The
higher inhabitants of Humla are Tibetans (Bhotias) sub-divided into five
sub-sects (Limi, Nyimba, Tsangba, Yultshoden and Trugchulung), all practicing a
medieval form of polyandry. The Bhotias were originally pastoralists and
traders, but have become agriculturalists over the past few centuries as
political disputes close and re-draw age-old boundaries. The Khasas of southern
Humla practice polygamy, and come from the tropical areas of the south. Living
along side the native Khasa are Bauns and Thakuris, descendents of desert tribes
of Rajasthan, who fled to Humla during the Mogul invasions of the 14th century.
They still maintaining many of their traditional customs, dress and language,
and worship gods not even remembered today in Rajasthan. Today, the Thakuris are
the dominant group in Humla having been the stronger group politically and
militarily. They ruled Humla under the Kayla Confederacy until the Gorkhas
conquered Humla and other regions in Western Tibet in the 18th century. There
has been much interaction between the Bhotias of the north and the Khasas, Bauns
and Thakuris of the south through the ancient trade routes, a practice that
continues to this day.

Kailash & Western Tibet

In the far west of Tibet, on the roof of the world, in the province of Ngari and the
land of the ‘drokpas’ or nomads of the high plateaus, sits the legendary Mount
Kailash (Kang Rimpoche) known to the Tibetans as ‘precious snow-peak’.
Mount Kailash is the abode of Demchok, the wrathful manifestation of Buddha, to
Tibetans and as the home of Shiva the destroyer to Hindus. Kailash is the most sacred mountain in Asia, venerated by Buddhists,
Hindus, Jains, and followers of the ancient Bon religion. Tibetan and Hindu pilgrims have been making the 53
kilometer kora of
Kailash for centuries. This circumambulation, clockwise for Buddhists and
Hindus, and anti-clockwise followers of the ancient Bon religion, is said to
erase the sins of a lifetime. To complete the Kailash pilgrimage one should bath
in the sacred Lake Manasarovar, stunningly set on the Tibetan plateau and bordered
by the majestic Gurla Mandata. Mount Kailash itself is 6714 meters high, and with its four sheer walls, distinctive snow-capped peak, and valleys
peppered with brightly-clad Tibetan pilgrims, is an awe-inspiring sight.
From it flow four great rivers of Asia:
the Karnali (Ganges), the Indus, the Sutlej and the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), all of which drain the
vast Tibetan Plateau.

Tirthapuri is the third most important pilgrimage site for
Tibetan Buddhists, after sacred Lake Manasarovar, a magical site perched on a
plateau above the Sutlej. Kyunglung is the ancient troglodyte capital of the
powerful Kingdom of Zhangzhung, set spectacularly on a hill surrounded by
sculptural, fluted canyons along the Indus. This region is rarely visited by
tourists and has no check-posts or entrance-guards, so a unique chance to
explore the tunnels, caves and old habitations of this ghost city. The Guge
Kingdom, further west, was founded by a son of the anti-Buddhist King Langdarma
a millennium ago. Its ancient capitals, Tsaparang, and its important monastery,
Toling Gompa, inspired by architecture from the Yarlung Dynasty, house some of
the most important gompas and murals in the Tibetan Buddhist world, a look into
an ancient civilization, now turned to dust ...

Both of these regions, Humla and Ngari, have been dubbed the
'real' Shangri-La ...

To see the detailed itinerary and more photos use a laptop/desktop browser or tablet in landscape (and hit refresh).

Detailed itinerary

NOTE: Our trekking itinerary and campsites may vary slightly depending on local trail conditions, the group's acclimatization rate and the Western, Sherpa or Tibetan guide's discretion.

Early Arrival

You will be met at the
airport by a representative from the Kathmandu Guest House (look for their sign
- they will be looking for you) and brought to the Kathmandu Guest House in their van. Kim will book
the extra nights for you, and your room will be ready for you when you arrive.

Day 1 - Arrive Kathmandu 1340m

You'll be met at the airport by a
representative from the Kathmandu Guest House,
so look out for a Kathmandu Guest House sign when you leave the airport. They
will bring you back to the Kathmandu Guest House, where your rooms are booked.

Kim will meet you at the Kathmandu Guest House (Room 603) and introduce you to Thamel, the main tourist area of Kathmandu. Thamel
is a myriad of banners, signs, music shops, bakeries, internet cafes,
restaurants, bars, hotels, shops of all imaginable varieties and eccentrically
clad backpackers. You'll need to give Kim you insurance details, your passport
and visa copies, three visa-sized photos and your return flight tickets, so
have these ready to hand over. Over the next two days we can go over everyone's
gear if they would like. In the evening, we'll get to
know each other over dinner and a beer at New Orleans ...

Kathmandu

Those who have extra days in Kathmandu, some suggestions. Climb the many steps to Swayambhunath (the monkey temple), with
its commanding views of Kathmandu (at 1420 m), its whitewashed stupas and its
unique synthesis of Buddhism and Hinduism. The striking Buddha eyes of
Boudhanath Stupa watch over a lively and colorful Tibetan community and attract
pilgrims from all over the Himalayan Buddhist realm. In the midst of traditional
gompas, and hung with long strings of multi-colored prayer flags, Boudhanath
attracts Sherpas, Tibetans and tourists alike for daily circumambulations
(koras) of the stupa. Durbar Square, one of the old capitals of the Kathmandu
valley, is a synthesis of Hindu and Buddhist temples, stupas and statues, and is
often the site of festivals, marriages and other ceremonies. Hindu Pashupatinath
and its sacred temple complex on the banks of the holy Bagmati river. Here,
monkeys run up and down the steps of the burning ghats, and trident-bearing
saddhus draped in burnt-orange and saffron sit serenely
meditating - when they’re not posing for photos-for-rupees.

We'll have time for a bit of gear shopping in Thamel for anyone who needs to
do this, and in the evening will head out for wood-oven pizzas and a few glasses
of wine at the Roadhouse Cafe.

Day 2 – Fly to Nepalgunj 150m

We'll have the early part of the day in Kathmandu, so take advantage of the morning to check your gear, do some sightseeing and have a leisurely lunch. We will leave sometime around 2 PM for the airport. We are scheduled on the afternoon flight to Nepalgunj, arriving just after sunset. Our scenic flight over the terraced hillsides and thatched villages of Nepal's green middle hills takes us to Mahendra Airport in Nepalgunj, the largest city in
the western Terai. Nepalgunj, set in the
steamy plains of southern Nepal, less than ten kilometers from the border of India, is a
jumping-off point for many flights and buses into western Nepal. The drive to our hotel passes through
this bustling town, a mix of modern and old Nepal. We stay the night at
air-conditioned Batika Resort, which as a pool (so bring a suit if you want a swim). Decent meals are available at the hotel's restaurant (but not included in the room price) so we'll get together in the evening for an early dinner.

NOTE: Only breakfast is included at Batika Resort. IF we are delayed in
Nepalgunj due to cancelled flights people are responsible for their own extra
nights and meals in Nepalgunj. We can try to arrange single rooms if requested but they're not assured as there are limited rooms at Batika. Single supplement for Nepalgunj is $50 per person.

Day 3 – Fly to Simikot 2910m

We take another early morning flight 218 kilometers north-west to Simikot, the district headquarters of Humla,
perched high up on a ridge overlooking the Humla Karnali River. The flight is
spectacular, cruising just over the tops of a mass of snow-covered peaks, and
the landing equally exciting as we descend over cultivated, green fields
surrounding the landing-strip on the jutting plateau. If the flight is on time,
we arrive before lunch, and will meet out crew and head to our campsite where we
will introduce you to our 'Kamzang Style' of trekking and get you set up in your
Big Agnes or Mountain Hardwear tents.

Simikot is an atmospheric village, a mix of local Humla and Tibetan culture,
and provides endlessly fascinating opportunity for exploring. You will feel the
altitude, so take it a bit easy and drink lots of water!

*** This is also an extra day in case our flight out of Nepalgunj is
cancelled.

NOTE: The trekking itinerary and campsites may vary slightly depending on
the trail conditions, availability of campsites and the trekkers' acclimatization rate. This Limi Valley part of the trek is semi-EXPLORATORY, so we will
have some flexibility in the day to day itinerary.

Day 4 - Trek to Dharapuri 2270m

After a big breakfast and a few cups of freshly brewed coffee, we hike
through Simikot and north along the main trail, which eventually leads to Tibet,
looking down on Simikot's green airport. You'll notice how precarious
yesterday's landing was! Cresting a small, cairn-topped ridge, we head past
barley and wheat fields towards a forested ridge, and back down past several small
villages. We continue past Tuling, also known as Majgaon, a tightly packed
Thakuri village. This region is peopled partially by descendents of desert
tribes of Rajasthan, who fled to Humla during the Mogul invasions of the 14th
century. They still maintaining many of their traditional customs, dress and
language, and worship gods not even remembered today in Rajasthan.

Another 45 minutes brings us to Yakba Khola, with its walnut and apricot trees. Crossing the Yakba Khola
(river), we climb to the check post and on to Dharapuri where we set up camp for
the night.

Day 5 – Trek to Kermi 2780m

As we leave Dharapuri, we gaze across the river at Khanglagaon, the last Thakuri
village in the region and the last we will see of cultivated rice fields in
Jumla. Our lovely trail follows the meandering Humla Karnali river as we pass shepherds
herding their sheep and goats in a timeless manner, with their locally spun and
woven sheep-bags loads with goods to trade at the border of Tibet. Another old
tradition is the polyandry which is practiced in the valley, with which we might
come into contact; this tradition helps to keep land in the family, and is an
effective method of family planning as one wife shares many brothers. We ascend to a shepherds' camp at some scenic waterfalls
at Chachera. The new cliff-hewn trail veers steeply up above the waterfalls and
continues past the teahouses at Dhara Kermi. We set up camp at Kermi, not far
from the hot springs!

Day 6 – Trek to Tsongsa Khola

After a delicious breakfast, we follow the lovely Sale Khola (khola and kosi
mean river in Nepali) through a wonderful, green valley, passing through pine
forests and passing more donkeys and locals en route. It's a beautiful day of
trekking, through meadows blanketed with Spring flowers, and by colorful
rhododendron forests as we head towards the base camp for the Nyalu La which we
cross tomorrow. The region turns rocky and more arid as we approach the pass and
our campsite at Tsongsa Khola, near some local kharkas, or seasonal herding
settlements.

Day
7 – Trek to Talung (over Nyalu La)

Pass day, so have a good breakfast for the gradual ascent up the Nyalu La
pass, at about 5000 meters, where we might have a view of the sacred Mount
Kailash and the snowy bulk of Gurla Mandata in the distance. We'll have a long
descent to our campsite far down the valley below, at Talung.

Day 8 – Trek to Chekjur (Jang Village)

Another spectacular trekking day, with views of old trade routes into Tibet
as we traverse this magical landscape. Our destination is Chekjur, or Jang
Village, where there are hot springs nearby to wash off the grunge of the past
few days of trekking. We'll have a rest and exploration day tomorrow, so a
chance to really settle into our tents and the campsite for two days.

Jamie says of the villages in the Limi Valley: 'The villages of Limi: Til,
Halji and Jang were one of the highlights, with their surprisingly neat stone
wall houses, they really are proudly independent and have really strong
communities, but are absolutely medieval in looks. The houses are dense, stacked
on top of each other almost, alleys under some houses. And Halji's gompa - wow!
I have been told it is the oldest in Nepal and can quite believe it. It is in
need of some work though. Structurally it seems ok on the outside, but tests
have shown that the supports of the oldest parts are rotten.'

Day 9 – Chekjur Rest Day

Sleep late as we have a rest day today, and after breakfast feel free to get
out and do some exploring of the traditional village and surrounding area, again
having a chance to jump into the hot springs. A laundry line will be up for
dirty clothes, and we'll have a hot lunch in the dining tent.

Day 10 – Trek to Halji 3600m

It's not a long walk to our next destination, Halji village, so we'll take
our time and enjoy the scenery before arriving at our lovely, green campsite.
There is an important Tibetan Buddhist gompa, reputed to be one of the oldest in
all of Nepal, in the village, and
we will have time for a visit after lunch.

Day 11 – Trek to Tilchu 4100m

Another short-ish day of trekking as we head along the well-used trail,
climbing a bit, towards Tilchu, where we set up camp for the night. Tilchu is a
wonderful and scenically located village high above the Humla Karnali, and we'll
have plenty of time for exploring in the afternoon, possibly getting inside one
of the houses for a cup of salt-butter tea. There is also a gompa in this
village, so lots to do to keep us busy.

Day 12 – Trek to Mane Peme 3800m

The trail becomes more dramatic as we climb high on narrow, cliff-side trails
high above the river canyon below us. The views are tremendous and vast, and
we'll enjoy this great day of trekking. Our destination for the day is Mane Peme,
where we camp near ancient mane stones sending out their Buddhist message
into the mountains.

Day 13 - Trek Sher. Drive Taklakot (Purang) 3930m

Finally, heading to Tibet, and one last pass! From the crest, we’ll be treated to wonderful and extensive views of the
Tibetan plateau, the Humla Karnali and Sher
far below us. Descending after the pass to Ranipauwa, we slip and slide down
loose rock, and then contour around a canyon back down to the Humla Karnali, at
3720m, to Hilsa. Just across the suspension bridge is a stone pillar that marks
the Nepal – Tibet border. After the informal border crossing at Sher, we meet
our Tibetan guide and Landcruisers for the one and a half hour drive to Taklakot, where the
Humli people of Humla come to barter or sell their rice and wood for cash and
salt. The road follows the Humla Karnali past Moto Gompa, an important 13th
century Sakya gompa at
Khojarnath, over a 4000 meter pass and through some small Tibetan villages before
finally reaching Taklakot. Taklakot is called Purang by the Chinese, and is a
large trading center for the Humli and the Tibetans.

Day
14 – Drive to Darchen 4560m (Tarboche)

We have a beautiful hundred kilometer drive to Darchen and Tarboche, during which, weather
permitting, we will have our first view of the sacred Mount Kailash just past the Gurla La. The road passed through the isthmus between the Rakshas Tal and
the sacred Lake Manasarovar, the second most important pilgrimage sight for
Tibetan Buddhists, formed in the mind of Brahma and which Tibetans refer to as
Maphan Tso, 'the unconquerable lake'.

We cross the Barka plain to Darchen and continue on to our campsite at
Tarboche. Tarboche is marked by a tall flagpole adorned with thousands of fluttering,
multi-colored prayer flags and kata scarves strung out in radiating lines from
the pole. The sacred prayer-pole will be ritually raised as it is every year, and the
direction the pole tilts, if it tilts at all, will foretell the future of
Tibet for the coming year. It is a very significant ceremony, and monks, lamas
and Rimpoches will preside over the rituals. During the festival, there is
plenty of shopping as a good Tibetan never misses an opportunity to make a sale,
and products from all over Tibet are available. And after the ceremony, devout
Tibetans will gather for a piece of wooden prayer-pole, a 'sacred relic'. This is a day for photos, so make
sure you are loaded down with extra rolls of film!

To
the west of the Tarboche is the Chorten Kangnyi, and auspicious but somewhat
repulsively-decorated archway. Perched above Tarboche is the Sky
Burial Site of 84 Mahasiddhas, a spot revered for once having been the burial
site for lamas, and containing numerous sacred springs, cairns, and power
places. Pilgrims lie down on a flat rock strewn with old clothes, bones, tsampa
bowls and personal belongings and visualize their death.

We set up our first
camp either near the flagpole, or just across the bridge from Chuku Gompa, and
have the afternoon to wander up the valley to Chuku Gompa, perched above the valley at 4780m, where
pilgrims will be doing koras and rubbing parts of their body against worn areas
of rock, shiny with butter, to start the kora off in an auspicious manner.
Inside is a revered marble statue called Chuku Opame and a silver-inlaid conch
shell with silver wings which was said to have flown here from afar, and a ‘trulku’,
or reincarnated lama, resides in a cozy (but dung-smoke filled) room in the
gompa. A blessing by the local lama is an extremely good start for the kora.

Day 15 - Trek to Dira-Puk 5160m

After a leisurely breakfast, we meet our team of yaks and the local ‘drokpa’ yak
drivers who will escort us around the kora, yak bells ringing. From Tarboche and Chuku Gompa, we follow the Lha Chu river through a serene,
meadow-lined valley, hopping over small streams, the west face of Mount
Kailash towering above us. The river enters a narrow canyon with high, steep
cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. Midway along the trek at the second
prostration point the secret entranceway to the Inner Kora is visible to the
right. One must complete 13 koras to enter inside. Continuing up the valley, the
north face of Kailash comes into view just as we reach the 13th century
monastery at Dira-puk. There are two routes to the camp from the convergence of
the valleys, and we have the choice of crossing a small moss bridge and
following a small path to the gompa, which has awesome views of the north face
of Kailash, or continuing on along the main trail. We camp opposite the river
from the gompa, immediately below the massive north face of Kailash. A sunset
walk up to the ridge overlooking the north face is a must!

Day 16 – Trek to Mani Camp 4650m (over the Drolma La)

We now leave the Lha Chu Valley just as the sunrise turns the snow peaks gold
and pink, and enter the Drolma Chu Valley, heading up towards the 5,630 meter
Drolma La. Although the altitude makes the trekking difficult, the masses
of pilgrims performing their acts of devotion along the way are continuously
intriguing. Those extremely devout pilgrims prostrate themselves the entire way
around Kailash, kneeling down and extending their bodies and hands in front of
them in prayer (and marking the beginning of the next prostration). The trail is
lined with sacred sites: butter, coin & flag-covered rocks, rocks with
footprints of saints, rocks to climb over, under or through, hillsides of
discarded clothes as offerings and other significant sites. It's a tough climb
to the prayer-flag festooned summit, but it’s all worth if from the top as
juniper incense burns and thousands of colorful prayer flags send prayers out
into the surrounding valleys. We take the lead from the many pilgrims up top and
stop for lunch before the descent to the east valley. Below us lies the Lake of
Compassion, Thukpe Dzingbu, one of the highest lakes in the world. We will camp
in the valley below the pass at the eastern face of Mount Kailash at a camp
called Mani camp.

Day 17 – Trek to Tarboche

Another couple of hours of bright early morning trekking along a boulder-filled
river brings us to Zutul-puk Gompa (4790m), with Milarepa’s meditation cave and
imprints of his hand, food and head prints. A monk with a Polaroid takes photos
of the Tibetan pilgrims in all their finery for 5 RMB! Afterwards, it’s an easy
walk along some impressive gorges and around many mani stones and mani walls
back to the Barka plains and dusty Darchen where our jeeps await us. The kora is
finished - we’ve erased our sins, endured extremely cold nights and mornings,
crossed one of the highest passes in the world, met countless fellow pilgrims,
sent prayers of peace out to the world. Congratulations!

We'll spend the night at Tarboche by the prayer flag in preparation for the
next day's festivities, but it will be full of action and color today, too! And
tourists ...

Day 18 - Tarboche. Saga Dawa. Drive to Tirthapuri 4550m

NOTE: We have planned for Saga Dawa AFTER the kora to save on the pre-Saga Dawa
insanity so will stay the morning of Saga Dawa at Tarboche and then drive to
Tirthapuri afterwards.

This morning we gather with the hundreds of Tibetan pilgrims from the far
reaches of Tibet, all having endured the long journey to Kailash by over-loaded
truck, some by yak caravan, and the extremely devout few by full-body
prostrations across the continent, some from as far away as Kham or
Amdo. It is said to be a two year round trip by prostration from the eastern
parts of Tibet to Kailash and back ...

The sacred prayer-pole will be ritually raised as it is every year, and the
direction the pole tilts, if it tilts at all, will foretell the future of Tibet
for the coming year. It is a very significant ceremony, and monks, lamas and Rimpoches
will preside over the rituals. During the festival, there is plenty of shopping
as a good Tibetan never misses an opportunity to make a sale, and products from
all over Tibet are available. And after the ceremony, devout Tibetans will
gather for a piece of wooden prayer-pole, a 'sacred relic'. This is a day for
photos, so make sure you have plenty of memory cards and your battery fully
charged. Bring small change for 'festival street-food' and prayer flags as well!

Good karma acquired all around, we pack up camp and drive along the beautiful bluffs,
past Lake Manasarovar to the third most important site on our pilgrimage, the
ancient Tirthapuri Gompa, spectacularly situated along the Sutej River. This
gompa is revered as one of the sacred sites of Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava) and
his consort Yeshe Tsogyel, who magically transported themselves through much of
the Tibetan Buddhist world in the 8th century. The gompa acquired its name in
the 11th century from the great Indian Buddhist scholar, Atisha. It is
affiliated with Hemis Gompa in Ladakh, and was destroyed during Cultural
Revolution, and subsequently rebuilt about 30 years ago. The footprints of Guru
Rimpoche and Yeshe Tsogyel are displayed on a slab of granite within the
dimly-lit gompa. Tiny, opaque calcium balls, believed to have powerful medicinal
value, can be found along the plateau, and jet-black ravens and rainbows adorn
this magical spot. There is a hot-springs 'complex' where you can wash off the
grime of Tibet for a small fee just minutes from our campsite under the gompa
complex.

Take an hour at sunset to walk the kora of Tirthapuri if you have energy left
from the day ...

Day 19 - Drive to Kyunglung

Leaving Tirthapuri, we head west to the spectacularly-set Bon-po Gurugyam Gompa,
under fluted canyon walls next to the
Sutlej river. Built into the cliffs, an ancient cave complex with tunnels,
balconies, prayer flags and ancient artifacts mark the spot that Guru Rimpoche
and the Bon-po masters meditated over a millennium ago, now used by the resident
Rimpoche Lama. This is one of the most important Bongo monasteries in far west
Tibet, the present gompa re-built after the Cultural Revolution, and a beautiful
spot.

Continuing east, the magnificent Sutlej River is our guide as we follow the
canyons to Kyunglung village and then the ruins of old Kyunglung, the ancient
capital of the Zhangzhung Kingdom, which ruled over most of Tibet and
neighboring Ladakh from the pre-Christian era onwards, a fabled troglodyte community. Set amidst
spectacular red-sandstone canyons, these are relatively untouched ruins of
one of Tibet's earliest cities, little visited by tourist of any nationality.
The name means 'Garuda Valley', and the dzong on top is called Ngulkhar, which
translates as 'Silver Castle of the Kings'; there is much mythology associated
with the region, and the population was said to be between two and three
thousand. Old paths lead up to crumbling cave-home with wooden doors, tunnels,
old stone walls and mani walls. It's a wonderful day of exploring!

To get there, we cross the Sutlej near a large complex of hot springs and
limestone deposits, and hike for about 20 minutes up to the ancient city.

Day 20 - Drive to Tzada (Toling Gompa & Tsaparang)

The plains are frosty as we jump into our jeeps and head west, towards the
magnificent Nanda Devi in Uttaranchal, India, heading to the Guge Kingdom. The
landscapes of western Tibet are breath-taking, sublime, and we'll have plenty of
opportunities to stop for photos. Continuing through historic
Dongpo, Dawa and Mangang, we eventually reach the village of Tzada, near
Tsaparang and Toling Gompa, were we set up camp for the night ...

Day 21- Tzada. Visit Toling & Tsaparang

We have the day to visit
11th century Toling Gompa, the most important monastery in western Tibet in
ancient times, and Tsaparang with its royal chapels, the ancient capital of the
Guge Kingdom, both now resting silently in far Western Tibet, a fairytale scene of caves
and passageways honeycombed into a ridge of ancient deposits. Guge was founded
almost a thousand years ago by one of three sons of Lang Darma, the
anti-Buddhist king. With its cave dwellings, crumbling Tibetan Buddhist gompas
and stupas, exquisite murals, sculptures and stone inscriptions, the Guge
Kingdom is a museum of the history of Western Tibet. White Palace, Red Palace,
Yamantaka Chapel, Tara Chapel and Mandala Chapel are the major attractions, all
historically linked with the Shakyamuni Buddha, King Songtsen Gampo and
other historic figures.

Day 22 - Drive to Manasarovar. Camp Somewhere.

Leaving Guge, we take a different route out, heading northeast
to the village of Montser over a large pass we which cuts of Guge from the rest
of Tibet in the winter. We'll see how far we get ...

Day 23 - Drive to Parayang 4750m

It's a 300 km drive through wild country from Lake Manasarovar to Parayang. We
cross wide plains, shallow rivers and pass by a few local truck stops with
makeshift tea houses. Passing the stunning Mayum-tso lake, we climb to the Mayum
La, where we are rewarded by a magnificent mountain panorama. The scenery along
this section is some of the most beautiful of the entire journey, and a distant
storm drifting in back of Tibetans, horses and sheep is a surreal sight. The
kids will be out at the camp sight to welcome us to our sand dunes camp site at
Parayang ... as will the village dogs! This is a wonderful spot to watch sunset
and roll down the soft, dun-colored sand with the village kids.

Day 24 - Drive to Saga 4600m

From Parayang, we drive another 255 km east, shouting 'Ki ki so so, Lha gyalo' (roughly translated
'May the gods be victorious!') as we crest the passes
marked with prayer flags and cairns. The panoramas are some of the most
beautiful on our journey, with the high mountains bordering Nepal on our right,
and pebbly streams, small lakes, small Tibetan villages and soft hills
surrounding us. We traverse this amazing Tibetan landscape, crossing more high
passes, and the landscape gently transforms to a plateau of high-altitude desert
sand dunes. There’s time to climb up to the wind-sculpted ridges and gaze over a
bordering lake below extensive ripples of peaks. We camp near Saga, though time
permitting, we might make it a bit further along towards Lhasa.

Day 25 - Drive to Shigatse 3900m

A long, wonderful day of jeeping through the high plains of Tibet, soft, beautiful and
photogenic. Just before arriving in the dusty truck stop of Lhatse, we cross the
Brahmaputra River, which originates from Kailash. From here, the roads are quite good, and usually paved, and our 157 km drive to
Shigatse, past lovely Tibetan villages where the spring planting will be in full
force, is a scenic one. Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, with
perhaps the best preserved but controversial monastery, the Tashilhunpo gompa.
This Gelugpa gompa, home to the Panchen Lama, is one of the largest functioning
monasteries in Tibet and there is much to explore within its surrounding walls.
We will take a few hours for a visit in the late afternoon or early morning
before heading to Lhasa. We stay at a nice hotel in Shigatse, and head out for a
good dinner and a few cold beers in the evening.

Day 26 - Drive to Lhasa 3650m

Another day of smooth driving through the wonderful landscapes of central
Tibet and towards our final destination of Lhasa, one of Kim’s favorite cities
in Asia, despite the Chinese presence there. We stay in the heart of old Lhasa
at the beautiful, Tibetan-styled Dhood Gu Hotel near the Jokhang Temple and
Barkhor square (or at a Tibetan hotel of a similar standard), where the
character of the city is still very Tibetan. After a quick look at the Barkhor
Square, most atmospheric at dusk (and early morning) when all the pilgrims are
doing their koras of the square and Jokhang Temple, we will walk across the
square to the infamous Dunya Cafe for dinner and a few much-deserved beers after
sunset ...

Days 27, 28 - Lhasa

Over the following two days we visit most of the most important sites in and
around Lhasa with our Tibetan guide. Late afternoons will be free for you to
discover the endlessly fascinating bazaars, walk koras around the Jokhang with
the myriad other pilgrims, or sit in the Barkhor square, immersing yourself in
the exoticism of Lhasa. There is also the option of additional tours to places
such as the Tibetan Medical Centre, Ganden Monastery or Tsurphu Monastery at a
slight extra cost, although after our last few weeks, a bit of rest in Lhasa is
usually the top choice.

The Jokhang is the holiest temple in Tibet and shelters the sacred Jowo
Sakyamuni statue. Shuffle among the pilgrims, butter lamps permeating the air,
and find gruesome Gods in hidden annexes. There is always a procession of devout
Tibetans through the complex. After walking the holy inner circle, complete a
circuit of the Barkhor, the market surrounding the Jokhang, for good luck. It is
the best market to shop for all things Tibetan, and just about anything else you
ever wanted as well. Kim has lots of practice, and is happy to assist with any
buying ... no commission attached.

Drepung and Sera Monasteries – Sera is one of the best preserved monasteries in
Tibet, renown for its lively debating sessions in the courtyard each afternoon.
Within its whitewashed walls and golden roofs, several hundred monks live and
study. Drepung was founded in the 14th century and was once the largest gompa in
the world with a population of around 10,000 monks. These days the figure has
been reduced to several hundred, but there is still much of interest to see
here, as the structure escaped relatively unscathed during the Cultural
Revolution.

Norbulingka – Norbulingka is the summer palace of the Dalai Lama, set in a quiet
and relaxing garden which used to house the Dalai Lama’s pets. One particularly
interesting mural inside depicts the history of Tibet and all the Dalai Lamas.

Potala Palace - The magnificent white, black, red and gold Potala Palace
dominates the skyline of Lhasa. It was the winter quarters of the Dalai Lama,
housing jewel-encrusted gold and silver stupas of previous Dalai Lamas, numerous
grand state rooms and many important chapels. There has been a palace on this
site since the 5th or 6th century, but the present palace was constructed in the
17th century.

Day 29 – Fly to Kathmandu

It’s a two-hour drive to the Gonggar Airport from Lhasa. The spectacular
flight takes us right across the main Himalayan range and provides us with
magnificent mountain views of most of the highest peaks in the world if the
weather is nice. We have a final dinner together, reminiscing over wine and dinner. Did we really just return from the fabled
Kang Rimpoche in far-western
Tibet?

*** Those who are doing the Lhasa-Kathmandu jeep safari will leave us today and head overland towards Tibet Everest Base Camp and finally Kathmandu.

Day 30 - Kathmandu

A free day in Kathmandu for shopping, some sun in the garden of the guest
house, shopping, cafe-ing or perhaps a visit to Boudhanath for some 'koras' to
give thanks for our safe journey back from the mountains. And sights we missed
during the first few days in Kathmandu, we can catch today, and afterwards out
for our last dinner together.ne last day together in our favorite Asian capital.